1. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT1 Pedagogical action research for postgraduate teachers: what it is and what it can do for you Lin Norton Professor of Pedagogical Research Dean of Learning and Teaching

2. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT2 Brief Biography: stating my allegiance to Chartered psychologist Associate Fellow of the BPS Psychology lecturer for 20+ years in social psychology and counselling psychology Specialist coordinator for HEA Psychology Subject network Former Editor of Psychology Teaching Review Currently writing (nearly finished!!) a book on action research in universities; a practical guide

3. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT3 Outline Brief presentation: In the context of building a career in university teaching of psychology, how pedagogical action research can: enhance our reflective practice through scholarship contribute to our continuing professional development and improve our students’ learning experience Workshop: developing teaching/learning/assessment ‘problems’ into pedagogical action research projects

4. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT4 Influence of the HEA Strategic plan 2005-2010 aims and objectives: “To lead the development of research and evaluation to improve the quality of the student learning experience” (objective 5)

5. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT5 Pedagogical action research: How can I convince the psychologists? The two most commonly voiced objections are: 1.Action research is not ‘proper’ research as seen in the positivist, scientific tradition. 2.Action research is untheorised descriptions of practice

6. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT6 Action research history Two distinct traditions: 1.British tradition links research to improvement of practice (education orientated) 2.USA tradition links research to bringing about social change

7. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT7 The teacher-researcher movement Becoming critical: knowing through action. Seminal book (Carr & Kemmis, 1987): –Critique of educational research in its failure to relate to practice –Their alternative based on concept of a critical social science by Jurgen Habermas (1970 ’ s). Habermas concerned with processes involved in developing knowledge, and challenges empirical analytical enquiry. –critical educational science which could impact on practice through what C& K called emancipatory action research.

8. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT8 A definition of action research by psychologists “ The primary aim of action research is to solve a problem within the process of the research. In the context of teaching your subject, it contributes both to pedagogical knowledge and to the subsequent modification of your teaching practice and your students’ learning… …It is a cyclical process of planning, action, and investigating the state of affairs after action has occurred” Lindsay, Breen & Jenkins (2002)

9. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT9 A generic definition of pedagogical action research “… the fundamental purpose of pedagogical action research is to systematically investigate one’s own teaching/learning facilitation practice, with the dual aim of improving that practice and contributing to theoretical knowledge in order to benefit student learning”. (Norton, in press)

10. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT10 7 characteristics of action research (Kember, 2000) 1. Social practice ‘ University departments are hives of intrigue and conspiracy. Trying to reach an understanding of issues concerned with teaching and learning, therefore, implies getting to grips with a whole range of human issues such as the attitude of students, the politics within departments and the ethos and environment of the institution’ (Kember, 2000, p.25)

11. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT11 Characteristics continued.. 2. Aimed towards improvement (Essential) 3.Cyclical (not necessarily simple spirals of reflection, acting, planning observing but progressive refinements) 4.Systematic enquiry (does not mean ’soft option’) 5. Reflective (outward not inward) 6. Participative (guards against making mistaken assumptions about one’s own practice) 7. Practitioner determined (driven from your own need to know)

12. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT12 Responding to the criticism that AR is not ‘proper’ research (1) 1. ‘…all social research is persuasive, purposive, positional and political and these are the very reasons why it is conducted’ (Clough and Nutbrown,2002). 2. Lack of generalisability comes from a research principle where the method of data collection is quantitive. 3. In AR,each research project is necessarily unique as it has been designed for a specific set of circumstances with methodology tailored to suit those circumstances. While it is not possible to generalise from the findings of such small-scale research, its strength lies in its ‘relatability’ to similar situations (Bartlett & Burton,2005).

13. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT13 Responding to the criticism that AR is not ‘proper’ research (2) In action research: ‘The intention is to produce a body of evidence that would convince a reasonable person to make a judgment that the project or approach had been effective. In practice this position differs little from the level of proof normally presented in positivist research. Particularly in human or social sciences, the claim that hypotheses are irrefutably proved by experiment is often illusory…’ (Kember,2000:41)

14. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT14 Responding to the criticism that AR is untheorised descriptions of practice The concept of transformational action research (Titchen & Manley 2006): –critiquing practice to problematise the status quo and predominant ideologies, and to create new critical practice about the particular issue that is being investigated. This includes: the way we teach our subject, the tradition and influence of the subject, the effects of the department (academic tribes and territories) –PAR contributes to the creation of pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman 1986, Kreber, 2002)

15. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT15 Pedagogical action research as an intensity spectrum (Kember 2006) Reflection Action researchAction research on L & T on L&Twhich contributes to theory Conference Refereed Journal paper conference paperpaper

16. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT16 The scholarship of teaching: what’s the problem? Bass (1990) makes the telling point that one of the differences in between scholarship and discipline based research is the way we think about the problem: In research the problem is at the heart of the enquiry process and we’re proud of it In teaching, the problem is something we don’t usually want to have and we’re ashamed of it

17. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT17 Changing the ‘status’ of the problem In pedagogical action research, this is precisely what happens…. The problem: Psychology students don’t use enough journals in their essays The research hypothesis: A multi-layered intervention (librarians’ input, revised formative assessment, exemplars ) will increase the use of journals in an essay ( Norton, Norton & Thomas, 2004)

18. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT18 Pedagogical Action Research: a simple step by step process ITDEM Identifying a problem/paradox/ issue/difficulty Thinking of ways to tackle the problem Doing it Evaluating it Modifying future teaching. Norton (2001 )

19. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT19 An example of PAR I and T Identifying the issue: Psychology students don’t understand the feedback on essays Thinking of ways to tackle it: 1. Give more feedback- spoken as well as written 2. Research study looking at the effects of three different types of written tutor feedback in motivating students to improve their next essay

20. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT20 PAR example: D and E Doing it:Students asked to complete a simple questionnaire commenting on the feedback on a recent marked essay in terms of: usefulness, motivational impact and effect on their self esteem Evaluating it:Greatest influence on self esteem and motivation were grade, not comments BUT tutor praise and positive comments were motivating whatever type of feedback was given (Norton, 2001)

21. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT21 PAR example: M Modifying practice: 1.Adapted feedback to include positive comments (reflective element) 2.Used an Essay Feedback Checklist to more effectively target tutors’ advice 3.Carried out a further research study comparing 1 st and 3 rd years’ reactions to the EFC (the 2 nd cycle) (Norton et al,2002)

22. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT22 PAR example: The second cycle Identifying the issue: Does the EFC work? Thinking of ways to tackle it: Questionnaire study: Ask students for comments Doing it: Research study involving 1 st and 3 rd year Psychology students Evaluating it: Comparison of 2 different methods of using EFC Modifying future practice- an issue with evidence was revealed which led to subsequent cycles on journal use…

23. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT23 Pedagogical action research: what it can do for you Researching pedagogical problems, using a traditional research model (e.g. lit review, aims, methodology, analysis, interpretation; psychologists are good at this!): 1. has an additional benefit of telling you about your own teaching/and or your students’ learning: Reflective practice 2.Engaging in the pedagogical literature, aligning yourself to communities of subject practitioner/researchers encourages conference attendance, greater engagement with the Higher Education Academy Psychology subject network, PLAT conference and journal CPD 3.By applying your findings to modify some element of your teaching: Improving student learning

24. 18 April 08HEA North West PGwT24 Workshop: Turning the ‘problem’ into a research project In small groups choose a specific learning, teaching or assessment problem in psychology 1.Devise a research question 2.Devise a methodology 3.Suggest how and where the findings could be disseminated (conferences, journals) 4.Suggest how the findings might be used to either modify your teaching and/or influence policy at departmental/institutional level 5.Report back